[Social development of epileptic children and adolescents].

A report is given on 162 cases (90 men, 72 women) ranging in age from 22-27 years, where the course of the disease, school performance, integration into professional life and social achievement has been followed over periods between 10 and 20 years. Of these patients 60 percent are free from attacks, and half of them have been for more than 10 years. Among those still suffering from attacks the great majority have psychomotor and combined fits. One quarter of the patients experienced a change in the type of attack in the course of the disease. The school performance and professional achievement of the patients are viewed in relation to the type of attack, duration of the disease and the period of freedom from attacks, and discussed. About 75 percent of the group had had satisfactory achievements at school and experienced smooth integration into working life, but only half of this percentage were still working in the occupation for which they were trained at the time of a follow-up examination. About 10 percent had to take up some other employment on account of the disease, whereas the rest gave various reasons. Social development was favorable for the majority of the patients. More than half of the women and one third of the men have married in the meantime. The crime rate was 3 percent.